LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has departed for Belém, Brazil, to represent the province at the UN’s COP30 climate summit, carrying with her an ambitious agenda aimed at positioning Punjab as a rising voice in global climate governance.
Before leaving, Maryam highlighted that she would present Punjab’s “climate transformation journey” — including the Suthra Punjab initiative, e-mobility efforts, air-quality reforms, and wildlife protection measures — to international leaders and climate-policy experts. She noted that Punjab’s recent environmental push reflects a broader shift towards sustainable governance and long-term ecological planning.
According to official statements, the chief minister will also hold a series of high-level meetings on the sidelines of the summit. Scheduled engagements include discussions with senior representatives from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the World Bank’s climate division, and the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI). These meetings are expected to focus on financing models, green-investment strategies and scaling environmentally aligned development across the province.
However, the provincial administration has remained tight-lipped regarding the composition of the CM’s delegation and whether she travelled via chartered aircraft. Sources suggest that Environment Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb and several senior bureaucrats may be part of the team, though no official confirmation has been provided.
With nearly 200 countries participating in COP30 to assess global progress under the Paris Agreement, Pakistan’s climate diplomacy — particularly through Punjab’s active engagement — is drawing considerable attention. Analysts believe Maryam’s presence may help secure future climate financing opportunities while projecting Punjab’s local reforms as models for regional adaptation.
As global scrutiny intensifies and climate impacts deepen across South Asia, Punjab’s leadership is signalling its intention to align provincial efforts with global benchmarks, strengthening both its environmental credibility and its economic prospects.
This story has been reported by PakTribune. All rights reserved.